Door dovetail



Sept. l5, 1936. J, J, sElTz ET AL 2,054,450

DOOR DOVETAIL Filed July 12, 1955 Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNE'E@ STATES PATENT OFFICE Application July 12, 1935, Serial No. 31,022

l Claims.

The invention relates to door dovetails, and involves various improvements in the structure of dovetails of the push-back type wherein one of the dovetail members, which are mounted on the door and door frame respectively, is constructed and arranged for limited movement, with respect to its support, in the direction of movement of the member carried by the door as the door moves into and away from completely closed position,

One of the objects of the invention is the rovision, in a dovetail structure, of improved means for rigidly supporting a door against vertical movement when in its fully closed position. This object is accomplished in the present invention by the provision of opposed bearing blocks mounted upon the door frame and movable with respect to each other and with respect to the wedge member carried by the edge of the door, portions of the bearing blocks being movable away from each other to permit the entrance or" the wedge member between the bearing blocks, and the blocks bef ing rigidly supported against vertical movement when the door is in its completely closed position.

A further object of the invention is the provision, in a dovetail structure, of improved means for supporting the door against vertical movement when in its fully closed position, and at the same time permitting the bearing blocks, forming a part of said means, to have a limited movement in a horizontal direction during the iinal closing movement of the door. This object is accomplished by constructing the bearing blocks, the guide member within which the blocks are mounted, and the wedge member, so that portions of the bearing blocks are moved away from each other to a limitcd extent as the wedge member moves into position between the bearing blocks, and .by supporting the bearing blocks for sliding movement in the direction of movement of the wedge member as the door moves into its fully closed position.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a dovetail structure of the push-back type. of improved means for permitting proper maireup of the wedge member and the bearing blocks as the door is moved into its closed position. This object is accomplished by rigidly supporting the outer ends of the bearing blocks for rocking movement to a limited extent as the wedge member moves into make-up position between the blocks, and by so constructing and arranging the blocks with respect to the guide member within which the blocks are supported that the blocks and the guide member may have a limited unitary movement in the direction of movement of the wedge member as the door moves into open and closed positions.

It is also an object of the invention to provide, in a dovetail device, a structure in which the usual Y wear of the wedge member and the bearing blocks is automatically taken care of without adjustment or replacement of parts. This object is accomplished by a construction and arrangement of the bearing blocks such that the angle between the opposed faces of the blocks when the wedge member is out of position therebetween is greater than the angle between the opposite faces of the wedge member; by providing limited movement of the inner ends of the bearing blocks away from each other; by rigidly supporting the bearing blocks against movement away from each other when the wedge member is in position therebetween; and by utilizing resilient means for urging the inner ends of the bearing blocks toward each other and for urging the guide member, 21) within which the blocks are supported, in the direction of movement of the wedge member as the door is moved from its fully closed position.

kA still further object of the invention is the provision, in a dovetail device of the push-back 25 type, of an improved structure whereby the slidable bearing blocks of the receiving member are not subject to a jamming action against their supports when the wedge member moves into posi-- tion between the blocks. This is accomplished by supporting the bearing blocks in the guide member in such a manner that the inner ends of the blocks have limited movement away from each other to receive the wedge member, and by rigidly supporting the bearing blocks in the guide member for unitary sliding movement in the housing when the wedge member and the bearing blocks are in the made-up position.

It is also an object of the invention to proo vide, in a dovetail device, a pair of opposed bearing blocks having a unitary rocking movement to a limited extent about a horizontal axis when in the made-up position in order that the bearing blocks may automatically adjust themselves to slight inaccuracies in the alinement of the wedge member. This object is accomplished by mounting the guide member within which the bearing blocks are supported so that it may I l have a cushioned rocking movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the plane of the door opening.

Still another object of the invention is the pro-vision of a dovetail structure wherein a single v pair of @oiled springs may be utilized for urging the inner ends of the movable bearing blocks toward each other, and for urging the guide member, within which the blocks are supported, toward one limit of its movement in the direction of Vmovement of the wedge member.

Other objects and advantages of the improved structure will be apparent from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawing wherein: Y

Fig. i is a side elevational view of the receiving member, with the wedge member out of engagement therewith and shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the receiving member, with parts broken away, and with the wedge member shown in section and in make-up position'with respect to the bearing blocks or the receiving member;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the bearing blocks and wedge member in the position which they occupy when the door is completely closed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view oi the housing of the receiving member, without the cover plate;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the guide member within which the bearing'blocks are supported;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the supporting plates for the Yguide member;

' Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the cush ioning devices for the guide member; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are perspective views of one of the bearing blocks in different positions.

As disclosed herein the receiving member I Ell of the improvedidovetail structure is mounted upon the door frame il ef an automobile body of pressed metal construction, and the wedge member I2 is secured to the free vertical edge I3 of the door Iii in such a position as to cooperate with the receiving member l@ when the door I4 is in its closed position. As is well un- Yderstood in the art, however, the relative location I9 movably supported in the guide member il,

and a pair of coiled springs 2@ having the outer portions 2l thereof interposed between the bearing blocksi and the guide member il for urg- V ing the inner ends of the blocks toward each other,` and the inner portions interposed be tween the guide memberv I1 and a wall the recess i 8 for urging the guide member and the bearing blocks toward the front of the recess.

As shown in Fig. 5 the recess member I5 is preferably pressed from a sheet of metal so as to form a vertical rear wall. 23, a vertical inner wall 24, and upper and lower horizontal walls having angularly arranged extensions 25 Y thereon for securing the recess member in posi- Vtion on the door frame ii.

The cover plate I6 is provided with suitable openings in alinement with openingsV 21 in the angular extensions 26 for receiving screws by which the cover plate and recess member i5 may be secured to the door frame. It will be understood, however, that the parts of the housing may be welded or otherand lower Wise secured to the door frame, as it is not essential that they be removed inasmuch as the.

structure herein shown is of the type which is adapted for front servicing in a manner well known in the art. YThe front edge of the cover plate If is provided with an opening 28 for the reception of the wedge member i2, and this opening is continuous with a V-shaped openingY 29 in the face of the cover plate for the same purpose.

As shown in Fig. 6 the guide member i1 is preferably pressed from a sheet of metal so as to form a walls 3i extending at right angles therefrom, and sectional rear walis 32. The upper and lower wails 3i of the guide member are provided with slots 323 which cooperate with projections t pressed outwardly from the wear plates between which the guide member I1 is supported for sliding movement in the recess I8. The projections 34 and slots 3E not only serve to guide the member il in its sliding movement, but, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing, the projections Sii engage with theinner ends of the slots 33 to limit the sliding movement of the guide member in one direction under the action of the portions 22 oi coiled springs E9.

The wear plates 35 are provided on their inner ends with angular extensions 3E for engagement within openings 31 in the rear wall 23 of the recess I8. The length of the openings 31 is such as to permit a limited movement of the adjacent vertical inner wall 3@ having upper ends of the wear plates 35 in a vertical direction,V

and the outer ends of the wear plates are free. The cushioning members 38 interposed between each of the wear plates 35 and Jthe adjacent end wall 25 of the recess are preferably formed of a sheet of rubber or rubber composition, and serve to dampen any noise which would otherwise result from the movements of the bearing blocks and the guide member in the recess I8, and also permit a slight rocking movement of theV guide member in the recess.

The vertical wall 24 of the recess member is provided with an outwardly depressed portion 39 forming parallel guiding shoulders 40 which cooperate with the converging guiding shoulders 4I formed at the upper and lower edges of a depression 42 in the inner wall 3D of the guide member I1. The distance between the shoulders 4I at the outer end of the guide member is substantially equal to the distance between the parallel guiding shoulders 40 in the recess member. The structure is therefore such as to permit a limited degree of rocking movement of the guide member I1 about a horizontal axis extending transversely across the outer edge thereof, and this rocking movement is cushioned by the cushioning members 38 interposed between the wear plates 35 and the walls 25 of the recess.

The two bearing blocks I9 are similarly formed of rigid material, are somewhat irregular in shape, and are provided with opposed bearing surfaces 43 which cooperate with adjacent bearing surfaces 44 of the wedge member I2.Y The outer end of each bearing block is provided with a notch 45 for engagement with a hooked lug 46 extending inwardly from the outer edge of the end wall 3| of the guide member to thereby retain the blocks within the guide member and hold the outer ends of the blocks spaced from each other to receive the wedge member..

Each of the bearing blocks i9 is provided with a recess 41 Within which the outer end of one of the coiled springs 20 is seated. The inner end of each spring 20 is held in position by means of an inwardly punched projection 48 on the wall 23. Two adjacent intermediate coils of spring 2U engage about the edge of one lof the Wall sections 32, within the angle 49 therein. With this arrangement Iof the bearing blocks, the guide member, the recess member and the springs, the outer portions 2| of the springs are merely exed from their normal positions when the inner ends or' the bearing blocks are moved away from each other, so that these portions of the springs serve to resist movement of the inner ends of the blocks away from each other when the wedge member moves into make-up position between the blocks. The inner portions 22 of the springs are compressed by movement of the guide member inwardly after the dovetail has been made-up, and these portions therefore operate to resist sliding movement of the guide member inwardly within the recess as the door is moved into closed position and retained therein by the usual latching device.

As heretofore described, the structure of the various parts of the dovetail is such as to permit front servicing the device, that is, the removal and replacement of bearing blocks I9 and coiled springs 2B through the opening 28 in the front edge of the cover plate. In order to limit the movement of the inner ends of the bearing blocks toward each other a stop lug 5I) may be bent from the wall 38 of the guide member into a position between the rear edges of the inner ends of the blocks so that the inner ends may be `supported. by this lug when the wedge member I2 is out of position between the blocks.

The outer ends of the blocks I9 have projecting portions 5I which extend through the opening 28 in the cover plate when the blocks are in their outermost position. The projecting portions 5| are preferably provided with curved surfaces 52 for cooperation with correspondingly curved abutments 53 on the opposite edges of the wedge member I2. The relation of the abutments 53 and the curved surfaces 52 is such that the abutments are in engagement with the curved surfaces when the Wedge member and the bearing blocks are in the made-up position as shown in Fig. 2. When in this position, any further movement of the wedge member into door closing position will serve to move the bearing blocks, and the guide member within which they are supported, inwardly within the recess I8 without danger of jamming the bearing blocks or the guide member.

As will be apparent from the structure shown in the drawing, the bearing blocks are rigidly supported within the guide member when the inner ends of the blocks are moved away from each other by the entrance of the wedge member between the blocks. and the guide member is free for sliding movement inwardly and outwardly within the recess except as the inward movement is resisted by the portions 22 of the coiled springs 20. It will also be noted that relative sliding movement between the blocks and the guide member is prevented, when the inner ends of the blocks are spaced from each other, by the engagement of shoulders 54 with the sectional walls 32 on the guide member, and that these shoulders are in position to pass freely by the Walls 32 when the wedge member is out of position between the blocks. Such a construction prevents the blocks from moving inwardly and outwardly with respect to the guide member, in the direction of movement of the Wedge member, when the latter is in the made-up position, although the `blocks may be readily moved inwardly with respect to the guide member, when the wedge member is out of position, in order that the blocks and springs may .be removed or replaced through the opening 28. In removing and replacing the blocks through the opening 28, the blocks are forced inwardly to such extent as to compress .the outer portions 2| of the springs and permit the notches to be disengaged from lugs 46.

The wedge member I2 is formed on a base plate 55 provided with suitable openings 55 for receiving screws 51 by which the same may be secured to the edge of the door I4. The screws 51 extend through openings in the edge of the door and are threaded for cooperation with threaded openings in a retainer plate 58 on the inside of the edge of the door as shown in Fig. 4.

Inasmuch as the function of the various elements of the device has been referred to in eonnection with the structural description thereof, no further description of the operation is believed to be necessary. With the dovetail disclosed herein, it will be apparent that the door is rigidly supported against vertical movement when it `is in completely closed position, notwithstanding the fact that the bearing blocks are supported for rocking movement about their outer ends and for bodily movement in the direction of movement of the wedge member as the door moves to and from closed position. v

'Ihe structure of the device whereby the bearing blocks are movable independently of Veach other provides a dovetail which will take care of ordinary inaccuracies of manufacture and assembly and any sagging of the door after continued use. In case the wedge member is mounted on the door in such a position as to be slightly out of alinement with the receiving member, the wedge member will first come into contact with one of the bearing blocks during the closing move-ment of the door and this block may rock independ ently of the other and permit the wedge member to be brought into alinement with the blocks and into proper make-up position. While the router ends of bearing blocks IS are in contact with walls 3| vat all times, it is preferable vthat the wedge member I2, the guide member and the bearing blocks I9 be so proportioned that the faces of blocks I9, which are adjacent to walls 3|, have their inner ends slightly spaced from walls 3| when the parts are in the normal make-up position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing.

The structure and arrangement of the receiving member and the wedge member are such as to produce a dovetail of the push-back type that is satisfactory in its operation in that, notwithstanding the fact that the bearing blocks are rigidly supported against vertical movement, the wedge member, the blocks and the guide member, when made-up, may move together horizontally without danger of jamming during the final closing and the initial opening movements of the door. Such a structure obviates, to a great extent, any adjustment of the parts in a horizontal direction.

While specific forms and arrangements ofthe various parts of the improved structure have been disclosed, it is to be understood that the disclosure is illustrative only and that changes in form and arrangement of the elements may be made without departing from the invention, the scope of which is to be determined by the appended claims.

v What we desire tovclaim as our invention is:

1. A door dovetail member comprising a housing having anopening in one edge thereof toV receive a wedge member, a guide member mount-A ed in Vsaid housing for movement to and from said opening in the direction of movement of said Wedge member, a pair Vof opposed rigid blocks Vhaving Vthe outerY endsthereof rigidly supported for rocking movement on said guide member and havingV the inner ends thereof supported for limited movement away from eachother, and resilient means Yurging said guide member toward 'said opening and the inner ends of said blocks toward eachother,

2. In a door dovetail member, Ya guide member having a pair of opposed rigid supports formed thereon, a pair of rigid blocks mounted in said guide member with the outer ends thereof spaced to receive a wedge member and supported for rocking movement on said supports and the inner ends thereof supported forV limited movement to and from said supports, meansfor supporting said guide member for movement in the direction of movement of said wedge member, resilient means for urging said guide member toward the limit of its movement in one direction, and resilabout'an axis parallel to the plane of movementV and from said supports, means for supportingV said guide member for movement in the direction of movement of said Wedge member and for cush ioned rocking movement about an axis parallel withY the plane of movement of said wedge member and extending transversely of said wedge member, and resilient means for resisting movement of said guide member in one direction and movement of the Vinner ends of ksaid blocks away from each other. 4. In a door dovetail member, a housingV having an opening in one edge thereof to receive a wedgeV member, a guide member movable in said housing in the direction of movement of said wedge member, a pair of bearing blocks movably supported in Vsaid guide member for cooperation with said wedge member, resilient means urging said guide member toward said opening, and resilient means for resisting movement of the inner ends of said blocks away from each other.

5. .In a door dovetail member, a housing having Yan opening in one edge thereof to receive a wedge member, a guide member movable in said housing in the direction of movement of said wedge member and having limited rocking movement ofrsaid wedgermember, a pair of bearing blocks movably supported in said guide member for cooperation with saidv Wedge member, resilient means urging said guide member toward said opening, resilient means urging the inner ends of said blocks toward eachY other, and means forVV cushioning Vthe rocking movement of said Yguide member;

6. In a dovetail structure, a housing having an opening in one edge thereof to receive a Wedge member, a guide member movable in said housing in the direction of movement of said Wedge member and having limited rocking movement about an axis parallel to the plane of movement of said wedge member, a pair of Ybearing blocks movably supported in said guide member, and resilient means for resisting the rocking movement of said guide member. Y Y

'7. In a door dovetail member, a pair of spaced supporting walls, a guide member slidably mounted between said walls, cushioning means between said guide member and said Walls, a pair of spaced Vbearing blocks movably mounted on said guide member, and resilient means for resisting movement of said bearing blocks with respect to said guide member and Vmovement of said guide member with respect to said walls.

8. In a door dovetail member, a pair of spaced Y between said guide member and each of said cushioning means and vmovable toward and away from said Walls, a pair of spaced bearing blocks movably mounted on said guide member, and resilient means for resisting movement Yof said guide member in one direction with respect to said walls. Y Y

9. In aVV door dovetail member, a housing, a guide member slidably mounted in said housing, a pair of opposed bearing blocks movably mounted on said guide member, means in said guide mem-y ber for'urging the inner ends of said blocks toward each other, and means in said housing for urging said guide member toward the limit of its sliding movement in one direction.

l0. In a door dovetail member, a housing, a pair of opposed bearing blocks movably mounted in said housing, a guide member slidably mounted in said housing, means for rigidly supporting the outer ends of said bearing blocks for rocking movement with respect to said guide member, means on said guide member for limitingV the movement of the inner ends of said bearing blocks toward and away from each other, re'- silient means for resisting sliding movement of said guide member in one direction, and resilient means for resistingmovement of the inner'ends of said blocks away from eachother. g

JOSEPH J. SEITZ. ERNEST K. WILLIAMS. 

